Match Preview: Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Carolina Railhaws

Two more teams in the close race for the last berths to ‘The Championship’ have Carolina RailHawks traveling to face Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium. Rowdies, who are fourth in the NASL Combined Table, are coming off their second consecutive home victory last week after topping New York Cosmos, 3-1. Meanwhile, Carolina, who is two points behind Tampa Bay for the final berth to ‘The Championship,’ dropped its second game in a row at home last week when they lost 3-2 against FC Edmonton. RailHawks lead the head-to-head series against Rowdies, however, Tampa Bay won the last meeting two weeks ago at WakeMed Soccer Park. Goals from forwards Lucky Mkosana, Amani Walker, defender Tamika Mkandawire and midfielder Darel Russell gave the Rowdies a 4-3 win over the RailHawks on August 9.

“This is a massive game for us and we want all three points. If we take the three points from them, it puts us in a better position in relation to them. It would be a fantastic flip for us moving forward and an extra reward for our great fans at home. We are geared up for what a massive game it is." – Rowdies coach Ricky Hill

“Saturday’s game against the Rowdies is really important for us. We had two bad results at home and need to find our way back to winning. We lost to the Rowdies at home two weeks ago and we certainly would like to get back to our winning ways at theirs.” – RailHawks coach Colin Clarke

Referee: Geoff Gamble

Asst 1: Kyle Longville

Asst 2: Emmanuel Darriba

4th: Santiago Lorenzo

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Tampa Bay Rowdies 0 Carolina Railhawks 1

PublishedAug 24 2014, 01:32 AM

By
storres nasl

Goal from Ty Shipalane gave the visiting Carolina RailHawks a 1-0 victory over Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium on Saturday evening.

Goal from Ty Shipalane gave the visiting Carolina RailHawks a 1-0 victory over Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium on Saturday evening.

“There’s a lesson to be learned,” Rowdies coach Ricky Hill said. “The game is 90-plus minutes. Irrespective of the dominance and whatever possession we’ve had, we didn’t maintain focus and concentration for that amount of time. I think anyone that was here would suggest that was a little bit of a smash-and-grab result.”

The Rowdies dominated possession, holding the ball for 72 percent of the match, and also posted more corner kicks (5 to 3) and shots (12 to 8,) but were missing their final touch on the night.

In the 15th minute, Tampa Bay forward Georgi Hristov had one of the better scoring chances of the half, finding space to shoot from a very tight angle, but his right-footed effort curled around the far post and out of play.

The Rowdies built another scoring chance in the 42nd minute, with Amani Walker finding Keith Savage in box, but Carolina goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald dove to save Savage’s low shot.

Ricky Hill made no changes to his starting lineup from last week’s win over the New York Cosmos, but was forced into an early substitution. Defender JP Rodrigues collided with Carolina’s Leo Osaki in the 20th minute and was forced out of the match. Willie Hunt replaced Rodrigues in the 24th minute. Osaki was able to stay in the match.

The Rowdies piled on the pressure in the second half, were unable to find a goal, being shutout for the first time since August 2.

Hristov raced into a one-on-one situation with Fitzgerald in the 79th minute, but Carolina’s goalkeeper fell to his right and pushed the ball away for a game-saving save to keep the scoreline unblemished.

In the 85th minute, Savage found Darel Russell for a leaping header, but Russell’s effort was wide of the net.

Four minutes later, Hunt rose to meet a corner kick with a header of his own, but, again, the shot was off target.

As the 90th minute elapsed, Carolina earned a corner kick that would lead to their game-winning goal. After bouncing around the box, the ball was controlled by RailHawks forward Daniel Jackson, who fed Shipalane for the match-winner in stoppage time.

“It’s disappointing in the manner of how they scored and the time they scored,” Hill said. “We’ve got to learn quickly. I’m not too displeased with our performance in general. I can’t be over critical of the guys in terms of the effort they’ve put in, but it’s disappointing that we haven’t come away with something.”

It was Shipalane’s seventh career goal against the Rowdies.

"Obviously delighted, it's been a tough couple of weeks for us, couldn't win on the road forever and now that's two in a row," said RailHawks coach, Colin Clarke. "We needed that one tonight, and I think we deserved it."